SAN ANTONIO – Elden Campbell swears he tried, really tried, to fit in with the Nets. But he was as good a fit as bowling shoes with a tuxedo.

“It was fairly difficult,” Campbell said of his stay with New Jersey, which was a little over a month. “It just wasn’t a good place for myself. Everybody there treated me with class. I don’t hold anything against them. It just wasn’t there. I didn’t belong there. It was sort of obvious.”

The Nets needed size and the 7-0 Campbell was available. He was traded by Detroit to the Jazz who waived him. Intent on returning to Detroit, Campbell’s was waylaid by the Nets who claimed him.

He told Nets team president Rod Thorn he wanted to remain in Detroit where his kids were in school but after a chat with Thorn, Campbell agreed to try it. It went as smoothly as the Titanic’s maiden voyage. Campbell was bought by the Nets for $1.75 mil and returned to Detroit.

“I told them [before]. I guess they thought I could adjust. I truly tried but it was a little bit more than I could handle,” said Campbell who, while grossly out of shape, played in 10 games with the Nets. “I pride myself on being a professional but I really didn’t handle that very well.”

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Pistons’ prez Joe Dumars on the Larry Brown to Cleveland scenario: “I would much prefer us to talk about the series, about the game about the players.”

On why he gave permission for Cavs to talk to Brown about their presidency, “Why not? We talked about it and Larry assured me it would not interrupt his focus.”

And, Dumars said, Brown assured him if he were to continue coaching it would be in Detroit.

“We would welcome him back with open arms if he wants to come back and coach. It’s totally his call,” said Dumars, who insisted he sees only big picture. “He came in and we won a championship. We’re back here now talking. What more could you ask for? I wanted him so we could win and win big.”

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In 12 Finals games (one here, five against the Knicks in ’99 and six against the Nets in ’03), the Spurs have yet to surrender 90 points in any game.

“Our focus is a lot different here. Pop (Gregg Popovich) gets us ready to the extent that we understand the game plan and everybody is out there to execute. I’m not saying it can never happen, but we make a lot less mistakes (defensively) in this situation,” explained Tim Duncan.

Spurs center Nazr Mohammed had 10 unexpected points in Game 1. He hopes the Pistons look to shut him down.

“It’s a great thing if they start focusing on stopping me. Pop said he hasn’t drawn up a play for me yet. So if they concentrate on stopping me it’s a great thing for us,” the ex-Knick related.